JBR Journal of Interdisciplinary Medicine and Dental Science
Open Access

Abstract

Benign migratory glossitis or geographic tongue is a common benign condition of unknown cause that occurs in the form of annular lesions on dorsal surface of the tongue. Vitamin deficiencies, emotional stress, digestive disorders and nutritional deficiencies are often cited as reasons with greater possibility. This study aimed to assess iron, zinc and vitamin B12 levels in blood and saliva of these patients in order to seek a more effective treatment for them. This is a case-control study consisting of 40 subjects who were examined at Oral Medicine Department of Tehran Dentistry School, International Campus and Mashhad Dentistry School by oral disease specialist and were enrolled based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Samples of blood and saliva (2 mL each) were collected from cases and controls and the levels of iron, zinc and vitamin B12 were measured. Independent t-test was used for statistical analysis. The subjects consisted of 20 patients with geographic tongue with a mean age of 33.15±4.8 and an age range of 19-49 years including 8 females and 12 males and 20 healthy people with a mean age of 29.40±50.7 and an age range of 24-45 years including 10 females and 10 males. The mean level of saliva zinc was lower in the patient group than that the control group and there was a statistically significant difference between the two groups. No statistically significant difference existed among other variables in the blood and saliva. In patients with geographic tongue, salivary zinc levels were lower than the controls; although iron and vitamin B12 deficiencies may affect lingual papillae; no changes were found in their levels in serum and saliva.

Biography

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